1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in the top-to-bottom compressive strength of corrugated fiber containers through the use of a minimum amount of extra fiber. Such structures of this type, generally, employ strip and patch laminations which provide minimal additional fiber and maximal reinforcement in the areas of the corrugated container panels that are under the highest compressive stresses when the containers are subjected to compressive loads.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known, in the container art to employ strips located along the score lines to reinforce the score lines. Such prior art containers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,524,292, to P. A. Dinsmoor, entitled "Box." The Dinsmoor patent teaches the use of reinforcing strips which are pasted along the score lines of the box in order to provide reinforcement along the score lines. Also, corner reinforcements between the side panels are provided in order to protect the box against collapsing when weight is piled on. While these reinforcing strips protect the score lines and the side panels, it is well known that the highest compressive stresses located in a box, when other boxes are piled on top, are located in corners of the box where the side panels meet the upper and lower panels. Therefore, a more advantageous container would be presented if the reinforcements could be located in the corners where the highest compressive stresses are located.
It is also known in the prior art to employ the use of reinforced corners in order to alleviate substantial compressive forces in the containers, which in the past have frequently caused collapse and severe distortion of the lower containers resulting in accidental exposure of the product contained therein. Such prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,223, ('223) to M. M. Williams, entitled "Foldable Container and Blank Thereof." While the ('223) reference does employ the use of corner reinforcements, due to the nature of the blank produced by the ('223) reference, the blank must be setup, folded, glued, packed and folded again in order to fill and ship the box with the desired goods. It is clear from the discussion in the ('223) reference that specialized equipment would be needed in order to fill and ship the container. Typically, a customer who receives blanks from a blank producer only has to pack and fold the container in order to ship the customer's goods. Therefore, a still more advantageous container would be provided if the container included reinforced critical corner components while at the same time avoided the use of specialized equipment in order to pack and ship the container.
It is apparent from the above, there exists a need in the art for a container which is lightweight through simplicity of parts and uniqueness of structure, and which is able to accommodate the compressive stresses located in the corners of the container, but which at the same time does not require specialized equipment in order to pack and ship the container. It is the purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art in a manner more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.